Kritik Kehidupan AS dalam The American Dream Is Killing Me

INTENS PLUS – JAKARTA. Green Day sukses gelar konser di Jakarta tadi malam, Sabtu (15/2/2025). Salah satu lagu yang dibawakan adalah The American Dream Is Killing Me dari album terbaru bertajuk Saviors (2024).

Lagu tersebut merupakan kritik dari Green Day atas berbagai aspek kehidupan di Amerika Serikat yang disebut modern.

“Who needs suicide when the American dream is killing me“- menggambarkan frustrasi generasi muda terhadap hilangnya harapan akan masa depan.

“Don’t want no huddled masses, TikTok and taxes” – menyindir pandangan sayap kanan tentang imigrasi, media sosial, dan pajak.

Beberapa lirik dalam lagu ini dianggap kontroversial, seperti penggunaan istilah “pedophile” yang dinilai provokatif oleh sebagian pendengar.

Lagu ini mencerminkan keresahan sosial dan kritik terhadap kondisi masyarakat Amerika saat ini, sejalan dengan gaya musik punk rock Green Day yang terkenal dengan lirik-lirik kritisnya.

Berikut lirik lagu The American Dream Is Killing Me yang dipopulerkan Green Day

The American Dream is killing me
The American Dream is killing me
When it’s all double-talk of conspiracy
The American Dream is killing me

Send out an S.O.S
It’s getting serious
Bulldoze your family home
Now it’s a condo

We are not home
Are we not home?
Goddamn, I am so grateful
Forever faithful to

The American Dream is killing me
The American Dream is killing me

People on the street
Unemployed and obsolete
Did you ever learn to read the ransom note?

Don’t want no huddled masses
TikTok and taxes
Under the overpass
Sleeping in broken glass

We are not well
Are we not well?
Cracked up into the wild
We’re pedophiles for

The American Dream is killing me
The American Dream is killing me
When it’s all double-talk of insanity
The American Dream is killing me
Say

From sea to shining sea
Whitewashed upon the beach
My country under siege
On private property

We are not home
Are we not home?
Kiss me, I’m dead inside
Who needs suicide when

The American Dream is killing me
The American Dream is killing me
When it’s double-talk of insanity
The American Dream is killing me. (*)

Penulis: Fatimah Purwoko